One of the conveniences of modern life is the use of "throw away" containers (aluminum cans) in the packaging of beverages such as soft drinks, beer or other liquids. These two piece cans may now be manufactured so inexpensively that they are most often discarded after use or sold as scrap for $0.40 a pound where they are crushed and melted. Because they are so inexpensive they most often are thought as essentially worth less. The can's however are not "worthless" as in a handful of beach sand or a used tissue paper but embody a structure which if a practical means to section them could be found, would allow many reuses. In a recent article on the beverage can in Scientific American magazine by Hoseford and Duncan dated September 1994 it mentions that 300 million of these are manufactured every day, an annual rate of 100 billion or so! These are subsequently discarded as indicated above or by "the meaningful macho gesture of crushing an empty can with a bare hand". The article goes on to quote that these cans are not crude devices. In fact manufacturers of aluminum cans exercise the same attention and precision as do makers of the metal in an aircraft wing! It is there for the purpose of this instant invention to identify a practical method to perform and or to enhance the performance of precision can sectioning so that can sections may be used for other purposes.
One of the problems in attempting to precisely and cleanly section an empty aluminum can is that it is difficult to perform this activity with normally found tools and methods because of it's particular shape and structure. The thin walled can structure collapses under the action of a cutting tool such as a knife. When scissors are used a pierced hole must be used to insert the blade and as with the use of a saw an irregular cut edge results. Normally some backing surface is required in a precision cutting operation.
The aluminum beverage can has been over designed for the actual needs of the final consumerist. It has been designed for manufacturing practicability, such as automation and shipping in mind so that it can take the jostling of the production line, transportation impacts and stacking of the boxed beverages. In one reference it mentioned that the 12 ounce can could take 90 pounds internal pressure and quite often does on a hot day and 240 pounds externally before distorting. Quite often one may see these filled cans stacked twelve high on pallets for shipping. Once in the hands of the consumer or discarded however, some of this excess strength may be utilized by a controlled weakening step performed on the can in a sectioning process.